Transformation·Conflicts·Resolution: The Research On Mediating Mechanism Of Labor Conflicts

Under the background of social transformation in China, this paper, based on full application of theories and methods of sociology mainly studies the main factors that influence the construction of harmonious social, namely, the labor-capital conflicts, including the cause, current situation, structure, function, relationship, activities, solutions and mechanism of the labor-capital conflicts, etc. In the end, it gives a general conclusion on the core outlet to the solution of current high incidence of labor-capital conflicts in China.Looking at the construction history of the coordinative mechanism of labor-capital relationship and conflicts in western countries, the periodic social background becomes the starting point of the establishment, improvement and adjustment of labor-capital relationship. Similarly, China is experiencing the fast transfer from traditional agricultural society to modern industrial society. Several factors such as conflicts, tasks, characters and value orientation in the current periodic and transitional society have become the important contents which impose a decisive impact on the coordinative policies, means and mechanism on labor-capital relationship and conflicts of China. Currently, under the situation of indifferent labor supply and absolute dominance of fund in China, reasons for the labor-capital conflicts mostly represent as conflicts development after the capital invade the rights of the labor during the work, among which, the invasion of the salary, treatment and security rights of the labor becomes the most direct reason for the current labor-capital conflicts. The generation, development and outbreak of labor-capital conflicts in China closely relate to the factors such as the scale and structure of the enterprise, the constitution and relationship of the labor and capital. In most cases, in bigger enterprises with higher level of technology and skills, labor-capital conflicts mostly represent as potential and invisible while in smaller enterprises with lower level of technology and skills represents, explicit and escalating. Different features of the capital and labor, including the age, hometown, education level, experience, characters, social capital possessed will influence the actions taken by both sides during the conflicts. The cooperative, in-fighting or confronting relationship formed in daily interaction for both sides will lead to the coordinative, concessive, or obstructive orientation of labor-capital action correspondingly. Currently, we lack of comprehensive cognition on the function of labor-capital conflict. We always emphasize its negative influence and challenges on the social harmony, enterprise stability and economic development while neglecting the positive influence and opportunities brought by it on the renewal of social self-regulation capability, the upgrade of economic industrial structure, the improvement of social system construction and enterprise system construction. The above-mentioned thinking ability and mode have laid obstacles in different levels for the introduction of substantive policies and strategies on coordinating labor-capital conflicts, which, as a result, increase the difficulty of resolving labor-capital conflicts.The different modes and means involved in labor conflicts resolution are recognized by relevant authorities as falling into two types: official and unofficial. When a conflict occurs, the two parties involved, especially, the labor will choose, from the many modes and means available, the most appropriate strategies to defend their own interests. The decisions are often made based on a comprehensive calculation of the comparative powers of various factors such as the capital, the government, the labor and the relevant social mobilizing forces. In the case of individual action, the comparative strength between the labor and the capital will determine the labor's strategies. In the case of collective action, in this period of social transformation, the success and effects of collective action are directly affected by the government with its peculiar concept and practice of governance, its interference level and its governance efficiency and also by the social mobilizing forces led by mass media. The strategic moves and changes made by the labor and the capital tend to result from rational choosing, especially, rational economic gambling. In resolving labor conflicts, the capital will carefully consider the gains and losses involved in either compromising or confronting before adopting its strategies, the government will determine its position and role and interference level by fully considering the gains and losses involved in either controlling or protecting, the labor will act rationally to achieve maximum benefit for its own party, the social mobilizing forces will also act toward maximum gain for either the society as a whole or for their own groups as an individual entity.Generally, labor conflicts resolution and its mechanism are extremely complicated. In this period of fast social transformation, this country should show proper understanding of the basic concepts, approaches; fundamental measures needed to meet the challenge of highly frequent and increasingly intense labor conflicts. Fully aware of the functions of labor conflicts, we propose that our proper attitude toward labor conflicts should be one between ideal and practical, i.e. seeking maximum harmony while allowing mild conflicts; fully aware of the dominating role the government plays in the politics, the economy and the social life of this country, we propose that the most practical way to resolve labor conflicts is one led by the government and balancing the interests of all interested parties; we propose that the fundamental approach to labor conflicts should be an institutional one which has the advantage of being "an impersonal and disinterested force" and thus can effectively keep the government from being directly attacked in labor conflicts...